The Government of Kenya co-hosted the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) this July. Which has been organised annually since 2009,When it was officially opened by President Obama in Washington,the GES has emerged as a global platform connecting emerging entrepreneurs with leaders from business, international organisations, and governments looking to support them,which is an amazing White House initiative. This was the first time the GES had taken place in sub-Saharan Africa and in Africa in general,which was historical. President Obama travelled to Kenya in July, where he held bilateral meetings with the Kenyan Government and participated in the GES. President Obama opened the 6th Global Entrepreneur Summit together with his co-host President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta.He spoke of his Kenyan roots and promised 1 billion dollars to fund entrepreneur projects in Africa. His was aimed at building on the success of the August 2014 U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and continue our efforts to work with countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, to accelerate economic growth, strengthen democratic institutions, and improve security. This was President Obama’s fourth trip to sub-Saharan Africa during his presidency.
Members of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) network and from the African Women's Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) were well represented at GES Nairobi and also those from other USG women and youth initiatives.
“Spark” which is a common symbol and platform for connecting diverse programs working to promote entrepreneurship around the world was there too.President Obama said women are the leaders of entrepreneurship and young people need finance for their ideas.He said that Africa should be a hub for entrepreneurship. He said that he came with big business entrepreneurs like Daymond John the founder of FUBU and star of ABC's Shark Tank, Producer/Musician Akon who has started the Light Africa Project plus many more.They are to interact with the young entrepreneurs and hear their business ideas and give advice or investments or both.
In The GES accomplished entrepreneurs and investors who have been their and done that motivate young people with dreams of entrepreneurship.They also give the young people ideas and also listen to their ideas and invest in the ideas that look promising. GES is aimed at improving the lives of people with dreams of entrepreneurship but do not have the incentives to make these dreams a reality and with these there is job creation and the lives of many people are improved.This is worldwide and Africa is now not left behind and President Obama and The White House is the heart of it.